t could be said that SCCA
RallySprint is the middle child in
the rally world. Situated
comfortably between stage rally
and SCCA RallyCross, RallySprint
features the speed and thrills that
come with stage rally, but similar
to RallyCross, it’s easy on the
wallet. Never heard of it? That’s
about to change.

The original version of the
SCCA RallySprint program began
in the 1980s but was mostly
suspended when stage rally left
the Club in the early 2000s.

When this occurred, SCCA’s rally
program consisted of RallyCross
and RoadRally, but it’s hard to
say this was a bad thing as both
programs flourished, proving
the ongoing interest in rally.

After a considerable amount
of work and planning, however,
RallySprint was revived in 2015
to test interest – and it only took
one event to prove its value.

Since then, multiple Regions have
run RallySprints, and there are
more planned for the future.

RallySprint is more than
just a souped-up RallyCross; to
the contrary. In fact, its unique
environment offers benefits that
cannot be found in any other
form of rally. The fact is there are
two primary differences between
RallyCross and RallySprints,
with speed being the greatest.

RallyCross keeps speeds low
through frequent turns and limits
the straights – this challenges
drivers and reduces the amount
of space needed to host an
event. RallySprints, meanwhile,
are defined by roads rather than

A FUN WAY
ROUND
RallySprint (ABOVE
and LEFT) may
resemble RallyCross,
but the format allows
for faster and longer
courses, offering
tuning possibilities
surpassing even
stage rally.

courses set with cones, meaning
they have fewer turns and more
straights, allowing competitors
to achieve higher speeds.

Competitor Seth VanHee
explains, “Toward the end of
my first RallySprint, I was more
confident and controlled as
I threw myself into corners faster
and faster. I raced a RallyCross
after the RallySprint and felt a lot
more in control at higher speeds.”